The present invention relates to a canister for holding a removable battery therein with connection means to derive current from the battery, and, more particularly, concerns a removable battery pack unit in a canister which provides an electrical connection to that unit. The present invention further relates to a canister with a removable battery pack unit therein in combination with a tool electrically operated by direct current which is provided by the battery pack unit.
Many electrically operated surgical tools are being designed to perform under direct current rather than alternating current in the operating rooms of hospitals and the like. Use of anesthesia during surgery complicates the use of electrically operated tools inasmuch as an inadvertent spark may cause the anesthesia to ignite. With this in mind battery powered surgical tools, such as drivers for drills, saws, reamers and the like, have become more prominent. In addition to the necessity of sometimes providing large amounts of direct current for tools which, for example, must drill through bone structure, the battery should also be sterilized to be compatible with its inclusion in the clean operating area. Most commonly used batteries for use with electrically operated surgical tools, such as the rechargeable secondary cell type, and particularly, sealed lead-acid cells, are not sterilizable in their normal condition inasmuch as the autoclaving process or similar sterilization process may cause the battery to weaken or produce other defects. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a container for a battery which can be sterilized, and also a container which can include a battery or a number of batteries with sufficient energy required to drive electrically operated surgical tools.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,578, there is disclosed a utility cabinet assembly, preferably directed for manicuring purposes, which includes an electrically powered manicure implement and a portable carrying cabinet therefor in which there is stored an electrical power supply for the implement. This type of utility assembly does not meet the above defined requirements for a container to hold a battery which can be used in a clean surgical operating area.
It is also desirable to employ batteries of the secondary cell type which are rechargeable since the electrically operated tools drain a considerable amount of energy during their use. A rechargeable battery pack unit and a battery charger are disclosed in the applicant's co-pending patent application Ser. No. 878,494 filed on even date with this application, the specific battery pack unit disclosed therein being adaptable for inclusion in a container which meets the requirements set forth above.